Platinum Jubilee Celebrations: Eight New Cities Named - But Crawley Isn't One Of Them

The Cabinet Office announced the capital of the Falkland Islands is among the eight places to win converted city status.

It's alongside Bangor in Northern Ireland, Douglas on the Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man, Colchester, Doncaster, and Milton Keynes.

Dunfermline in Scotland and Wrexham in Wales have also won the honour.

But Crawley missed out, almost a year after the leader of Crawley Borough Council Peter Lamb, put in a bid for the status change.

This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the New Town (named by the Queen) so the decision is likely to bring disappointment for residents and councillors alike.

Cllr Peter Lamb told the BBC:

"It really would have highlighted the astounding growth of the community over that time and really the way in which we've developed a modern community, resembling the changes taking place in Britain over that course in time."

The new city list:

• Stanley, capital of the Falkland Islands
• Douglas, Isle of Man
• Bangor, Northern Ireland
• Colchester
• Doncaster
• Milton Keynes
• Dunfermline, Scotland
• Wrexham, Wales

These are some of the places that "make Britain great", Steve Barclay, chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster said.

The new cities are expected to boost local communities and open new opportunities for people that live there, according to Mr Barclay.

He added:

"What was clear to me during the process of assessing each application was the pride that people felt for their communities, local heritage and the Royal family.

"As we celebrate Her Majesty The Queen's colossal contribution to society, I am thrilled that we are able to recognise some of the many places that make Britain great."

The award of city status to Stanley on the Falklands Islands is of particular significance for the Royal Family. Prince Andrew served as a helicopter pilot on HMS invincible during the Falklands war 40 years ago. More recently, the Duke of Cambridge was deployed there for a six-week tour as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot in 2016.

Douglas is a cultural hub for The Royal Hall, home to the annual flagship concerts by the Isle of Man Symphony Orchestra. Her Majesty is also a patron of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution which operates from there.

Doncaster has showcased community spirit and resilience after the 2019 floods, Wrexham has become the home to the new National Football Museum of Wales while Dunfermline attracted 30,000 local people to their firework display and 10,000 to their Christmas light event.

Bangor became a key site for allied forces during the Second World War, Colchester is Britain's first recorded settlement and its first capital, while Milton Keynes' new town has 84,500 citizens who are volunteers. They claim to have the highest number of volunteers per head of population in the UK.